[Today’s K-pop] Blackpink’s Rose stays on Billboard chart with solo hit

Rose of Blackpink is spending her second week on Billboard’s Hot 100 as a solo act, as her global hit “APT.” ranked No. 13 on the main singles chart. The Bruno Mars collaboration slid down five rungs on the chart but stayed atop Billboard's Global Excl. the US and Global 200 charts. “‘APT.’ becomes the first song since the Billboard Global 200 began in September 2020 to have tallied at least 200 million streams worldwide in multiple weeks,” tweeted

K-popNov. 6, 2024

[Herald Interview] Heize explores depths of longing in new EP ‘Fallin’

Singer-songwriter Heize is set to release her eighth EP “Fallin” on Nov. 6, featuring seven tracks that delve into themes of longing. The album touches on various subjects of yearning, including family, friends, a past love and her younger self. Known for her deep introspective style, Heize calls herself “a person who holds a lot of longing,” and the theme naturally came to the forefront of this new project. “In this album, I found myself reflecting on different peo

K-popNov. 6, 2024

Band festival Countdown Fantasy unveils lineup for year-end bash

The first lineup of the year-end band festival Countdown Fantasy, to be held at Kintex in Ilsan on Dec. 30 and 31, has been revealed. The event will feature 14 leading bands from Korea and abroad, including groups new on the scene and some familiar favorites. On Dec. 30, the lineup includes the retro-inspired band 87dance, the trio Band Nah, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary; newcomers Dragon Pony, who debuted in September with label Antenna, and festival veterans like Owalloil and Onewe

K-popNov. 6, 2024

Epex returns to bring comfort to youth

Boy band Epex returned with its second full-length album, “Youth Chapter 2: Youth Deficiency,” on Tuesday, offering support and comfort to young people. The album is the second in the “Youth Trilogy” from the eight-member group that debuted in 2021. While its previous album, "Youth Chapter 1: Youth Days," explored pure love and the struggles of youth, “Youth Chapter 2: Youth Deficiency” delves into the various forms of deprivation that young people e

K-popNov. 6, 2024

Fifty Fifty to tour US

Fifty Fifty will be embarking on its first US tour, “Love Sprinkle Tour in USA,” on Nov. 27. According to agency Attrakt, the group is currently preparing for its upcoming shows in the US. “We are nervous because it is our first-ever US tour but we are practicing hard to showcase our best performances. We want to present new facets of our group during the tour,” said Fifty Fifty in a press release on Wednesday. Prior to the US tour, Fifty Fifty will be taking to the stage

K-popNov. 6, 2024

Changing K-pop stars: idols begin to speak out

Jiae of the now-disbanded girl group Wassup made headlines Tuesday by posting a photo with her girlfriend on social media, captioning it, “My sweet girlfriend.” Jiae had revealed her bisexuality in 2021, declaring, “I love both men and women. I have a girlfriend that I love and am very happy with.” Given the conservative nature of the Korean entertainment industry, her openness about her identity was groundbreaking. Historically limited in their freedom of speech, K-pop i

K-popNov. 6, 2024

SM Entertainment Q3 earnings fall amid lower album sales, rising costs

SM Entertainment reported a sharp decline in third-quarter earnings Tuesday, attributing the downturn to reduced album sales and rising production costs while hinting at the debut of a new girl group in January. The parent company’s regulatory filing showed consolidated revenue of 242.2 billion won ($175.6 million) and an operating profit of 13.3 billion won, reflecting a 9 percent drop in revenue and a significant 73.6 percent decline in operating profit, year-on-year. The company point

K-popNov. 5, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] NCT127 announces world tour plan

NCT127 will launch its fourth international tour in January next year, announced label SM Entertainment Tuesday. Tour “Neo City – The Momentum” will start with a two-date concert in Seoul Jan. 18-19 and will resume in mid-February in Jakarta, Indonesia. The itinerary includes Bangkok, Taipei and Macao as well as six cities in North America and three in Japan. It will be the first time the subunit is touring North America in two years. Meanwhile, the bandmates shared photographs

K-popNov. 5, 2024

Hybe faces potential revocation of ‘Top Job Creation Company’ status amid petition, allegations

Hybe, the K-pop powerhouse behind BTS, is at risk of losing its designation as a "Top Job Creation Company” by the Ministry of Employment and Labor, following a public petition filed Thursday with the National Assembly. As of Tuesday, just six days after the petition launched, the National Assembly’s online petition site showed over 41,500 signatures supporting the revocation of Hybe’s recognition. With a threshold of 50,000 signatures needed for an official review and 24

K-popNov. 5, 2024

Seventeen to light up LA

Los Angeles is about to be illuminated in Seventeen's colors. Pledis Entertainment announced Tuesday its plans to hold Seventeen The City Los Angeles — an event set to transform downtown LA and the city's iconic landmarks with Seventeen-themed activities and displays. Los Angeles marks the final stop of Seventeen’s US tour "Right Here," which began in October. Seventeen The City, which will run from Thursday to Monday, offers events for fans to enjoy before and af

K-popNov. 5, 2024

[Herald Review] TXT concludes third world tour, opens new chapter

Boy band TXT celebrated the grand finale of its third world tour with three days of concerts in Seoul and returned with a new album. The quintet held the final performance of “Act: Promise,” the encore concert of its third world tour, which began in May, at KSPO Dome in Seoul on Sunday. Including the encore concerts, TXT completed a total of 31 performances across 17 cities, including major venues like Tokyo Dome, Kyocera Dome Osaka, Vantelin Dome Nagoya in Japan, and Madison Square

PerformanceNov. 4, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Red Velvet’s Irene to release 1st solo album

Irene of Red Velvet will bring out her first solo album “Like A Flower” on Nov. 26, said label SM Entertainment Monday. Together with the title track, the EP comprises eight tracks based on the pop genre. It will be her first solo endeavor since debuting as the leader of Red Velvet 10 years ago. The group celebrated its decadelong music career with EP “Cosmic” and a fan concert tour in Asia. The EP topped iTunes' Top Albums chart in 50 regions and debuted on Billboar

K-popNov. 4, 2024

SHINee’s Minho unveils new musical style in first solo album

Minho of SHINee released his first full-length solo album, "Call Back," on Monday, showcasing a new musical style distinct from his previous work with the boy band. Coming nearly two years after his solo debut EP, "Chase," in December 2022, the new album comprises 10 tracks, including the titular track that promises to immerse listeners in Minho’s expanded emotional and musical range. The eponymous “Call Back” is a pop song featuring a deep bass line, a lyri

K-popNov. 4, 2024

Twice to appear as special guest at Coldplay concerts

Girl group Twice will perform as a special guest at Coldplay's upcoming concerts in Korea. JYP Entertainment shared the news via its official social media post saying, "We look forward to Twice’s stunning visuals and stage presence at Coldplay’s world tour.” Coldplay is set to perform six shows in Korea as part of its "Music of the Spheres" world tour at the Goyang Sports Complex on April 16, 18, 19, 22, 24 and 25. Twice will appear at all six shows, joining

PerformanceNov. 4, 2024

Who is writer of Hybe's controversial internal report?

A Hybe internal document on K-pop industry trends, presented to top executives, including Hybe Chairman Bang Si-hyuk, has been fueling intense debate since its disclosure at a National Assembly audit on Oct. 24. The report stunned K-pop fans and the public with its critiques of young idols’ appearances, describing some as “surprisingly unattractive" or "overly reliant on cosmetic enhancements," which brought significant attention to the document's author. Contrary

K-popNov. 3, 2024

Stray Kids' US album sales surpass 1M

Boy band Stray Kids' album sales in the US have surpassed one million copies this year. JYP Entertainment announced that Stray Kids’ cumulative physical and digital album sales in the US have exceeded one million copies in 2024, marking the first time a K-pop artist has reached this milestone this year. Notably, the group's ninth mini album, "ATE," released in July this year, had sold over 500,000 copies as of Sept. 30, making it the best-selling K-pop album in the US t

K-popNov. 3, 2024

Rose makes history as 'APT.' claims No. 2 on British Official chart

BLACKPINK's Rose has reached No. 2 on the British Official Singles Top 100 chart with "APT.," her collaboration single with American pop star Bruno Mars, setting a new record as the highest-charting female K-pop artist. The single debuted at No. 4 and climbed two spots to come just behind U.S. singer-songwriter Gigi Perez's "Sailor Song," which currently holds the No. 1 position, according to the chart released Friday (British time). With the achievement, Rose has b

K-popNov. 2, 2024

Babymonster showcases YG-style hip hop with 1st LP ‘Drip’

Babymonster on Friday released its first album, “Drip,” featuring a title track composed by G-Dragon. The group's first full-length studio album contains nine tracks, including the two main songs "Drip" and "Clik Clak." “We hope that this album shows how much we’ve grown over a year during which we had diverse experiences, such as going on a fan-meet tour,” said Rami of Babymonster, during a press conference at YG Entertainment's headqu

K-popNov. 1, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] BTS’ Jin to open ‘happy’ pop-up store

A pop-up store marking the release of the first solo album from Jin of BTS will run in Seoul from Nov. 19 to Dec. 1, said label Big Hit Music Wednesday. The “Running Wild to Happiness” pop-up -- named after both the album, “Happy,” and its main track, “Running Wild” -- will convey the upbeat and positive energy Jin is known for. Visitors will be required to make reservations in advance starting from Nov. 12. Jin will also host a fan showcase in Seoul on Nov. 1

K-popNov. 1, 2024

Iconic cultural figures receive cultural merit medals

Veteran senior actors Shin Gu and Kang Boo-ja received the Eungwan Order of Cultural Merit, the second-highest medal, at the 2024 Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards held at the National Theater of Korea in Seoul on Thursday. The annual awards, now in its 15th edition, are the highest government honor in the field of popular culture and arts. Shin, who debuted onstage in 1962, remains a popular actor decades on with his heartfelt performances. “After every play run comes to an end, I am

K-popNov. 1, 2024